The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-01-15
I" SCATTER SEEDS OF KINDNESS.

"SCATTER SEEDS OF KINDNESS"
"Carry the song with you, children!
Garry it with you'll"
"Why, auntie, we do not need to carry
it with us, for we know it, said one.
"Know it Why, should think we
had known it always" exclaimed an
other.
"Don't you mean, carry it right in our
hearts?" and Mabel Rays eyes grew
brighter and her cheeks. roster as she
awaited the reply Of eweet-faced old
lady who was well known to the dear
children who sat that bright summer
morning under clump of trees in one
corner of large lawn.
AS she came up the avenue, and the
words, "Let us gather up the sunbeame,"
reached her ear, identifying smile
rradiated her face; and when she came
upon the little girls, who we're holding
"dolls' reception under the trees, she
fairly beamed upon them, and not one of
them even thought of the MANNED body
that Auntie Brown, as she was called,
had dragged about for many year.
Time was when it seemed greater
cross than che could bear to know that
never again in this world could she stand
erect; but the time came when she
thought of the poor, twisted spine as of a
worn garment that some day, when it
had entirely served its purpose, she might
throw away, and till then she was con.
tent, and went about finding gsaasa
Sweetest comfort
In the blessings of to-day;
With patient hand removing
All the briars from the way"
She was welcome guest at the home
of Mabel Ray, and in few moments
passed on to the house. AS she left them
she said:
"You can scatter many seeds of kind
ness during this long vacation"
please, ma'am, do you want girl to
help you do your work."
Mrs. Eastman, much surprised at the
question from one of those Hathorn
children" as she told her husband, said
{" Why?"
She, with lady who thought it an ex-
cellent plan to look after the heather
near home," had called at the terribly
dilapidated home of the Hathorns only a
few weeks before, and one result was
that Janet, the Oldest girl, had been
brought into the Sunday-school.
Though not what could be called a
bashful child, she looked at the we'll
dressed lady who sat under the vines that
trailed over piazza that adorned her
beautiful house, and stammeringly said:
I" / want to work for somebody"
Mrs. Eastman wasn't one to shirk a re-
sponsibility, though her first thought
was, "Oh, dear, wish l had kept away
from them"
Her husbands only remark when he
found Janet installed in their home was,
"Glad you didn't quench her awakened
ambition"
Janet, with all her Ignorance, possessed
one very valuable quality; she went about,
as is sometimes said, "with her eyes
open; and though Mrs. Eastman often
inefficiency, she was occasionally sur
prised over some new requirement, and
really pitied the poor girl for her pre-
vious want of opportunity.
She was in class in Sunday school
with Lille Thornton who. am sorry to
say, was very proud of her fine clothes, of
her home, Of everything belonging to her
family.
Some of the girls leased their mothers
to buy them just such handsome dresses,
and others felt envious, without having
their desires gratifed, while it was ia
nets bad fortune to be seated by the side
of Lille, instead of at the other erd of
the class, where there were some very
modest and unassuming little misses,
who thoroughly deserved the name of
ladies.
You may have seen a girl like Lille,
and may know how she moved as far
away as possible, drawing her dainty
skirts along with her; but doubt if you
can imagine how it panied poor Janet,
whose awakened sensibilities, in the
beautiful home of the Eastmans, were
fast being developed.
1t was real grief that prevented her
from answering several questions, and
the tears she feared would fall that kept
her from reading with the others.
One of the first things she learned to
do perfectly well is technically known in
a household as dusting," and she was
soon SO adept, that one of her morning
duties was wiping away every speck Of
dust to be found in several Of the rooms
that were in constant use.
Behind a picture on a mantel were
some pennies and dimes, that for weeks
she moved mechanically without 1
thought OF appropriation.